1. Field of the Invention
This invention is generally directed to scoreboard systems and, more specifically, to a scoreboard system which includes a plurality of panels constructed of generally lightweight material having porcelain finishes on both the front and rear surfaces thereof. At least two of the panels include two different tournament grid patterns permanently fired into the front and rear surfaces thereof so that when the panels are oriented in a first relationship with respect to one another a first grid pattern is established accommodating a first number of players participating in a medal or stroke play tournament and wherein, when the panels are reversed to display the opposite faces thereof, a second grid pattern is established for match play involving a first number of players. The panels are structured so that when the match play grid systems are rotated 180.degree. relative to one another, a match play grid system for a second number of players is created.
In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, four scoreboard panels are detachably mounted to an outdoor frame or support which frame includes a track system for selectively supporting the panels with respect thereto. In the preferred system, each of the four panels has a first grid pattern permanently fired into the front face or surface thereof which grid pattern is normally designated as a stroke play grid system. Such stroke play grids are designed to accommodate up to forty players on each grid. Two adjacent panels also include a second grid pattern permanently fired into their rear surfaces. Each of the second grid patterns is designed for match play for thirty-two players. However, when the rear surfaces are oriented in a display configuration and rotated 180.degree. relative to one another, a single grid pattern for match play for up to sixty-four players is created.
In the preferred system, at least one or more of the scoreboard panels includes a blank rear surface thereby allowing for any indicia to be placed thereon as is deemed necessary by tournament officials.
Because of the porcelain construction having the grid patterns etched or fired therein, any type of markers may be utilized to record information on the surface of the panel members, with such materials being easily wiped from the surface when a tournament is completed.
The system also incorporates an indoor track system which allows the panels of the present invention to be transported from the outdoor frame supports to an indoor system whenever desired. The invention is particularly adaptable for use with golf tournaments, but is also adaptable for use in tennis, trap and skeet shooting and other types of tournaments having multiple players or participants.
2. History of the Related Art
Over the years numerous scoreboard systems have been developed for reflecting the outcome of matches between players or participants in events which reflect the individual players and their scores during the progress of a given event. In a very basic scoreboard system, a frame is provided for supporting indicia indicating either the teams or players competing. Such systems include areas in which scores may be posted either by separate card, plate, or, in some instances, entered by use of chalk or other writing material. Variations of these most basic scoreboards continue to be used in many athletic and other competitive events. For instance, at many golf courses, tournament events are recorded on scoreboards that are generally constructed of plywood or other wooden material to which cardboard or other paper grid systems are secured. Information as to players and their progress by hole through the course of play is recorded by hand on the grid system attached to the plywood frame.
One of the drawbacks of these conventional basic scoreboard systems is that a separate overlay must be applied to the scoreboard each time an event is scheduled. Further, the use of paper or cardboard type materials to record the players' activities has several inherent drawbacks. First, if misinformation is accidently applied to the paper or cardboard, it is difficult to correct and maintain a sightly appearance to the scoreboard. Secondly, in the event of an outdoor tournament wherein the weather is inclement, it is difficult to protect the paper or cardboard from damage by wind and rain. Thirdly, the use of such materials to record tournament events does not permit scoreboard information to be easily moved and professionally displayed at an indoor location following the completion of an event or following the completion of a day's activities.
Over the years there have been many scoreboards developed for use in specific types of sporting or other tournament events. In some sports, it is economically feasible to utilize electronic and other sophisticated scoreboard systems to record the players' or teams' scores and other information during the course of play. However, in other sporting events, the use of such costly electronic display systems is not appropriate. For instance, in golf and trap and skeet shooting wherein tournaments may be played only at certain times of the year at any given facility, it is not cost effective to provide expensive electronic scoring systems and therefore use continues to be made of the more basic hand written type of scoring systems.
Unfortunately, hand type recording scoreboard systems have not changed nor developed to facilitate the ease of recording handwritten information nor have they developed to a point of allowing dual function or increased utility in the use of the scoreboard system for different types of tournament events. For instance, in golf, in some tournaments play is termed "medal" or "stroke" play and the players are generally playing against one another to determine who has the lowest score at the end of a given number of holes played. In stroke play, the scoreboards reflect the players' name and their respective scores by hole and may reflect an "out" score after nine holes, an "in" score after eighteen, and provision is often made for handicaps which affect the ultimate score at the end of stroke play. A typical grid system for stroke play is reflected in FIG. 4 of the drawings, although this grid pattern is applied to a particular panel used in the present invention. As opposed to "medal" or "stroke" play, other tournament events are "match" play events wherein winners progressively move towards one another in ladder play until ultimately two players meet to determine the winner of the tournament. In these types of events, it is the recording of the winners and losers of each round which is recorded and reflected on the scoreboard. A typical grid pattern for this type of play is shown in FIG. 5 of the drawings, however again, this grid pattern is applied to a particular panel member used in the present invention.
With conventional handwritten scoreboards currently used to record sporting and other competitive events there has been no provision made for accommodating different types of play, i.e. stroke play and match play, on a single scoreboard thus requiring the complete replacement of the cardboard or paper covering materials for each event.